AI’s Real Bottleneck Is Power, Not Compute
As AI demand accelerates, infrastructure limits are emerging as the real bottleneck. Power, cooling, and supply chains now shape deployment timelines and ROI. The post appeared first on TechNewsWorld.

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Apple at 50: Steve Jobs, the first star CEO
There's plenty to like, admire, and definitely dislike about Steve Jobs, but he did an incredible job saving Apple, and will forever be treated like a rock star.Steve Jobs with the original Macintosh in 1984 - image credit: AppleThe greatest thing that Gil Amelio, Apple's fifth CEO, ever did was pave the way for Steve Jobs to become its sixth. It was great for Apple, it was great for users, but it was probably horrible for Amelio himself.That's because what he did was have Apple acquire Steve Jobs's failed NeXT firm. As part of that acquisition he got Jobs as no more than an advisor. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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∞ The Dalrymple Report: Keyboard dictionary, pipeline of products for Ternus
Have you ever wanted to reset your keyboard dictionary? Dave shows you how, but it's a bit scary to press the buttons. We also look at the pipeline of products that John Ternus will be released under his tenure as CEO. Many of the products, we've already heard about but they couldn't be released because the software wasn't ready. Others are new categories. There are reports that Apple has given up on the Vision Pro after a lukewarm response. Follow this podcast Brought to you by: NordLayer: Get an exclusive offer: up to 22% off NordLayer yearly plans plus 10% on top with the coupon code: DALRYMPLE10. Try it risk-free—14-day money-back guarantee. Show Notes: Apple’s Cook Gives Ternus a Pipeline of 10 Major New Product Categories Will we see Ternus’ folding iPad? Apple Has Likely Abandoned 'iPad Ultra' Plans Apple Has Given Up on the Vision Pro After M5 Refresh Flop Apple Vision Pro Used in World-First Cataract Surgery Ted Lasso, Season Four Shows and movies we're watching Countdown, Amazon Prime Marty Supreme, HBO Red Hot Chili Peppers, Netflix

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The RAM crunch leaves Apple with the same tough questions as everyone else
Macworld Sure, Apple just released its most affordable MacBook ever, but you probably shouldn’t expect a big wave of affordable Apple products anytime soon. To hear CEO (for now) Tim Cook tell it, the company is facing the same exorbitant RAM prices as everyone else as AI server demand gobbles up the entire planet’s chip capacity. Apple’s ultra-efficient architecture makes it better-suited for phones, tablets, and laptops with limited RAM, but that can only go so far. And even that limited RAM is going up in price. During its investor conference call after announcing record revenue for the March-ending quarter, Cook said for the last quarter and the current (June-ending) quarter, the impact of high memory prices is “partly offset by carry-in inventory.” In other words, all the chips Apple’s already got on hand. But beyond the June quarter, memory costs will “drive an increasing impact on our business.” We will look at a range of options with memory costs increasing…Tim Cook What are they going to do about it? It’s impossible to say without resorting to plain guesswork. Cook again said Apple is looking at “a range of options” and noted that Mac mini and Mac Studio will likely remain in short supply for a few more months. What exactly those “range of options” are is anyone’s guess. Will Apple raise prices, either on whole products or on RAM upgrades? Will Apple ship products with less RAM, forgoing expected RAM increases? Will some products just remain in short supply, affecting total sales figures? Will Apple keep hardware prices steady and make up the margin on Services and new revenue streams such as ads in Maps? The answer to each of these is… maybe. Apple is second-to-none in the consumer tech industry at managing supply, prices, and keeping an absolutely crazy-high profit margin. This quarter, the company had a gross margin of 49.3 percent, and that’s with the impact of tariffs. For the next quarter, despite the chip challenges, Apple expects a margin of around 48 percent. Apple doesn’t give guidance beyond the next quarter, though. And that’s the point at which the carry-in inventory dries up, and the RAM price hikes are really going to hit. It looks like Tim Cook might be leaving John Ternus with the an “incredible roadmap” when he takes over as CEO on September 1, but he’s also inheriting a ticking time bomb of chip prices for a company that is already oft-criticized for the relative price of its products. It will be managing this chip crisis, and not the launch of the iPhone Ultra or smart glasses, that will be the first real test of John Ternus’ tenure as CEO.

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Kensington SD5900T EQ Thunderbolt DisplayLink Dock review: Connect up to four displays to Macs
Macworld At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Supports up to four external displays at 4K 60Hz Up to two displays at 6K 60Hz 16 ports, inc. three 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 3x DisplayPort video ports 2x HDMI video ports 2.5Gb Ethernet Speedy SD card readers 96W laptop charging Cons Weak 149W power supply Our Verdict Bristling with dedicated video ports, the Kensington SD5900T is our new number-one choice for high-bandwidth DisplayLink docking station. MacBook Neo owners needn’t bother with spending the extra on a Thunderbolt dock, but for everyone else looking to add more external displays than Apple’s limited Macs allow the SD5900T is a fine flexible choice. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed$299.99 Best Prices Today: Kensington SD5900T EQ Thunderbolt 4 Quad 4K Dock with DisplayLink Retailer Price $260.99 View Deal $260.99 View Deal Kensington $299.99 View Deal $299.99 View Deal $300.99 View Deal $391.24 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide View more prices Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best for: People hitting Apple’s display limits.Not for: Users who don’t need more than 1–2 monitors.Key limitations: DisplayLink downsides (HDCP/streaming issues, 60Hz cap); Weak 149W power supply. When it comes to connecting multiple displays it’s important to check out your Mac’s processor. The base/Pro/Max type of Apple M-series chip isn’t just about raw processing power—it also decides the limit of how many monitors you can attach. And that limit for the MacBook Neo or older base M1 and M2 Macs is just one. Since Apple ditched Intel chips for its own Silicon M-series processors users have frequently stumbled across this frustrating limitation—but fear not as there is a way past Apple’s screen limit. The M-series chips are either base (M1, M2, M3, etc) or more advanced (M1 Pro, M2 Pro, M4 Max etc). All the chips have a maximum number of external displays that they support, but the non-Pro/Max chips are the weakest. The MacBook Neo doesn’t even have an M-series processor, working off a less powerful A18 chip (the same used in some iPhones). Base M1 and M2: one external monitor Neo: one external monitor Base M3: two external monitors when MacBook’s lid is closed Base M4, Base M5, M4 Pro, M4 Max chip: two external monitors M5 Pro: three external monitors (via Thunderbolt 5, otherwise two) M5 Max: four external monitors (via Thunderbolt 5, otherwise two) Thankfully, there’s a workaround for all the above Macs, involving some free software and a supporting hub or dock, that means any Mac can support at least three displays—even the Neo. The most popular free software that solves the Apple chip limitation is DisplayLink. Installation is simple—there’s some initial fiddling around in System Settings—but after that you can connect up to five external displays depending on the prowess of the hub or dock. We’ve gone into more detail about how to connect multiple monitors to M1/M2/Neo Macs in our dedicated how to and list of the best DisplayLink docks. Most DisplayLink docks use USB-C to connect to the Mac, which is not a problem for the MacBook Neo that has USB-C itself but is a lower data bandwidth for the other Thunderbolt Macs. Typical USB-C DisplayLink docks have a data-transfer rate of 10Gbps (gigabytes per second), while Thunderbolt 4 is rated at 40Gbps and Thunderbolt 5 at 80Gbps. 10Gbps might be all you need from a dock but if you are connected to external storage drives, for instance, then Thunderbolt speeds become more important. Right now, there’s no 80Gbps Thunderbolt 5 DisplayLink dock on the market but there are some 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 DisplayLink docks. We’ve tested the best Thunderbolt DisplayLink docks, and rate both the Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station with DisplayLink and Plugable Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station (TBT-6950PD). These docks are almost identical and differentiated only by the Plugable dock having a cable 8 inches (200mm) longer than the Satechi! Both feature one upstream Thunderbolt 4 port and three downstream, plus two HDMI 2.0 video ports, two 10Gbps USB-A, Gigabit Ethernet, SD card reader, 3.5mm audio jack and a 180W power supply. They support up to four external extended displays at 4K/60Hz: two via Thunderbolt 4 and two via HDMI as long as the DisplayLink software has been installed. Kensington’s SD5900T EQ Dock also uses Thunderbolt 4 and DisplayLink to support up to four external displays, but it features a different set of ports to achieve this—offering more dedicated video ports for your monitor connection of choice. Simon Jary Specs One upstream Thunderbolt 4 port (40Gbps, 96W)
 Two downstream Thunderbolt 4 ports (40Gbps, 15W)
 Two HDMI ports Three DisplayPort One USB-C port (10Gbps, 4.5W) on front One USB-A port (10Gbps, 4.5W) on front Two USB-A ports (5Gbps, 4.5W) on rear 2.5Gb Ethernet 
 SD Card reader (UHS-II, 312MBps)
 MicroSD Card reader (UHS-II, 312MBps)
 3.5mm audio jack on front 149W power supply The SD5900T’s 16 ports outgun the Satechi and Plugable Thunderbolt 4 DisplayLink docks, which both host just 11. Simon Jary Display configurations: How many displays can you run with this dock? While it sacrifices one of the Thunderbolt ports for an extra DisplayPort, there are two more DisplayPorts (DP) as well as two HDMI—that’s more choice of dedicated video ports, with one of the TB4 ports also available for a display connection. You get to choose between DP and HDMI in each of the two video port banks and then get to use either the third DP and/or one of the front/rear downstream TB4 ports. How many external displays you can connect depends, as ever, on your Mac’s processor. With this DisplayPort dock, the MacBook Neo and Macs with the base M1/M2/M3/M4/M5 chips can support three displays: two 4K/60Hz via the DP/HDMI ports and a third up to 6K/60Hz via either the third DP or TB4. Kensington Macs with a Pro or Max M-series chip get the option of a fourth display, with two 4K/60Hz via DP/HDMI plus up to two 6K/60Hz using the other ports. You can also connect four displays to Macs with the base M3 chipset, but you must keep the laptop lid closed for this to work. The extra external displays allowed with the M5 Pro and M5 Max are for Thunderbolt 5 only, so not supported by this dock (or any DisplayLink dock at the time of writing). The Satechi and Plugable DisplayLink TB4 docks feature fewer dedicated video ports so must choose between TB4 and HDMI ports. That third TB4 port offers the user more flexibility but Kensington rightly knows a DisplayLink dock purchaser is principally using the dock for its multiple display functionality rather than as a standard docking station. Simon Jary DisplayLink required: What do you need to install, and what are the downsides? The point of a DisplayLink dock is, of course, the benefits bestowed by that free software download and reasonably easy install. Where a base M1/M2 Mac or MacBook Neo can natively handle only one monitor, DisplayLink lets them connect to up to three, and Pro/Max-chipped Macs up to four. DisplayLink is a simple install with the only fiddly bit when you have to grant “Screen Recording” rights to it via Systems Settings–it sounds scary but don’t worry as it doesn’t actually record anything. Instead, it just allows the DisplayLink Manager app to capture pixels and send them to the dock. There are some potential negatives to having DisplayLink installed on your Mac: Unless you disconnect the DisplayLink-enabled screens or unhook the dock, you can’t watch some protected content in Netflix, AppleTV, Amazon Prime, Disney+ or YouTube TV and other streaming applications due to those platforms using High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), which is Intel-developed digital copy protection. DisplayLink’s maximum screen refresh rate is 60Hz, which is fine for most users but can introduce noticeable lag with rapidly changing content, which is not ideal for video editing or gaming. If you are using your multiple screens for general productivity work, then you’ll likely never bump into these DisplayLink downsides. Simon Jary USB extras: What ports do you actually get (and what’s missing)? The SD5900T hosts three type-C ports: two downstream Thunderbolt 4 and one 10Gbps USB-C. That’s the same number as found on the Plugable and Satechi TB4 DisplayLink docks, although those docks feature three downstream TB4 ports instead. TB4 is better than USB-C but it’s likely you’ll use it for video anyway so unless you are using it to just move from one display to two on base M1/M2 Macs it doesn’t really make a difference. Simon Jary Power The upstream TB4 port can passthrough up to 96W of power to the connected MacBook, which should be enough to keep any of Apple’s laptop going even under a heavy workload. Each of the two downstream TB4 ports can output 15W of power, but the other USB ports are puny at 4.5W. It would have been great if the front-mounted USB-C port could output even 20W of power to allow for iPhone fast-charging but you should look to other USB-C or wireless chargers for this rather than hook your phone up to the dock for charging. Check our recommendations for the best iPhone USB-C chargers and best wireless iPhone chargers for superior power options. The lack of USB output power is in some ways fortunate as the SD5900T’s power supply is rated at just 149W, which is the lowest we’ve seen of self-powered docking stations. Most docks offer at least 180W, but as the ports offer little in the way of charging it’s again less of a worry. Kensington’s KonstantCharge technology enables devices connected to the dock to charge even when your MacBook is undocked. Kensington Storage options The dock has both SD and MicroSD card readers at its front for easy-access portable storage cards. With MacBook internal storage being less than generous unless you fork out a lot of money at the point of purchase, this is an affordable storage solution with 512GB cards starting from around $100 on Amazon. Kensington has added these card readers at the top-end in terms of speed, rated at UHS-II’s 312MBps in comparison to Apple’s 250MBps SDXC card reader on the MacBook Pro. The Satechi and Plugable TB4 DisplayLink docks feature just the one SD card reader, but also at 312MBps. Simon Jary Network Another area where the Kensington SD5900T beats the Satechi and Plugable DisplayLink docks is its inclusion of faster 2.5Gb Ethernet compared to 1Gb Ethernet. Again, most users won’t benefit as the standard office network remains Gigabit Ethernet but having the backwards-compatible 2.5GbE is useful if you do run a fast wired network or you want to future-proof yourself for if/when you do. Price The Kensington SD5900T is priced at $299.99 / £269.99, which is the same as the Satechi and Plugable TB4 DisplayLink docks mentioned in comparison above. Unless you’re a base M1/M2 Mac user looking to add just two external displays, Kensington’s greater choice of video ports is the better solution at the same price. And the SD5900T includes superior Ethernet and two card readers if these are important factors to you. There are several versions of the Kensington SD5900T, and these seem to be differentiated only by color. We tested the Midnight Blue SD5900T but the Black SD5910T is exactly the same except for the more standard dock color. E.U. and U.K. customers should look for the SD5920T model, which sadly is in black only. You’ll find more of our recommendations for the best DisplayLink docks and non-DisplayLink best Thunderbolt docks if you want to dig deeper for other solutions. Simon Jary Should you buy the Kensington SD5900T? Bristling with dedicated video ports, the Kensington SD5900T is our new number-one choice for high-bandwidth DisplayLink docking station. M5 Pro/Max users can probably look to a standard Thunderbolt 5 dock and MacBook Neo owners needn’t bother with spending the extra on a Thunderbolt dock, but for everyone else looking to add more external displays than Apple’s limited Macs allow the SD5900T is a fine flexible choice.

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Forget the MacBook, I want an iMac Ultra
Macworld Apparently, 2026 is going to be the year when Apple introduces the “Ultra” branding for the iPhone and MacBook. Which sounds interesting and leads to pedantic arguments over what constitutes an Ultra product. But it’s Apple, it can define “Ultra” however it sees fit. Which leads me to the gaping hole in the proposed Ultra lineup: a desktop Mac. (Settle down, iPad fans; CEO-in-the-wings John Ternus has been working on what sounds like an iPad Ultra, though it has an uncertain status.) It just seems like if Apple is going down this Ultra road, it has to have a Mac Ultra. After all, of all of Apple’s products, the desktop Mac is the one best suited to go all out and truly hold up the “Ultra” branding. The Mac Pro had its day The Mac Pro seemed like the most fitting computer to be rebranded as a Mac Ultra. The tower form factor allows Apple to go hog wild with its components, fitting it with an M-series Ultra chip, installing a ton of RAM, installing the fastest SSD, and using the latest specifications with Thunderbolt, USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc. Apple could redesign the tower so it doesn’t have as many expansion slots. Apple doesn’t really want anything to do with the tower form factor anymore.Thiago Trevisan There’s a reason why Apple discontinued the Mac Pro, however. Apple just doesn’t sell enough towers to make it worthwhile, and even a redesigned, smaller tower probably wouldn’t sell in the numbers Apple would like. As much as I would love to see Apple create a “hot rod” Mac, it doesn’t fit in Apple’s product methodology. The Mac Pro–actually, the tower Mac, to be more specific–is no longer a supported Apple form factor. iMac Ultra: iMac Pro reborn Of all the desktop Macs, the iMac is the most likely candidate for an Ultra version. Would it be the fastest, most powerful Mac available? No, but Apple isn’t necessarily defining “Ultra” that way. “Ultra” applies to the product in a particular line that goes above and beyond a typical feature set in some way, like an iPhone that folds or a MacBook with an OLED touchscreen. An iMac Ultra could fill a demand for an all-in-one with a larger display. As someone who has reviewed the M1, M3, and M4 iMacs, I get a lot of reader feedback stating that the 24-inch display isn’t big enough, with some saying that if it’s not at least 30 inches, it’s not worth their time. After all, the iMac Pro was 27 inches, and that was 10 years ago, so an Ultra iMac would need to be bigger than that. An iMac Ultra could have a 32-inch display, which will surely satisfy those users. It could be a 6K display, too. Basically, Apple could take the panel from the old Pro Display XDR. (I know the execution isn’t as simple as that, but it’s the right size and the design would be perfect.) While we’re making wishes, how about this one: Use the same design of the Pro Display XDR for the iMac Ultra.Foundry As for the chip, Apple could go with a Pro or Max chip to set it apart from the standard model and preserve the Mac Studio’s status as the top-end Mac. But a Pro or Mac chip is a significant upgrade from the base chip in the current iMac. The larger display would be the key component of the iMac Ultra. Much of the other features could mirror those of the current iMac: Thunderbolt ports (upgraded to Thunderbolt 5 for the iMac Ultra), Ethernet through the power adapter, etc. And of course, Apple can make it in Space Black as an ode to the old iMac Pro and include the black Magic Mouse or black Magic Trackpad. Would it sell? Admittedly, an iMac Ultra would address a niche that’s even smaller than the current iMac’s. But it seems like it would be bigger than that of the Mac Pro, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the demand exceeded that of the upcoming iPhone Ultra. Price would be the key factor in its ability to sell. The iMac with four Thunderbolt ports is $1,499, the M4 Pro MacBook Pro starts at $2,199, and the Pro Display XDR was $4,999. That $4,999 XDR price, however, did not change from its original release in 2019, so it stands to reason that a panel like the one it used is much more affordable now. So perhaps the iMac Ultra would start in the $2,799 range. I think a lot of people would buy it at that price. I know I would.

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Lost your wallet again? This $24 fix connects to your phone so you can keep tabs on it
Macworld TL;DR: The MagTag Ultra Slim Tracker Card, which works with the Apple Find My app, is on sale for $23.99 (MSRP $59.99), making it an easy way to track your wallet or bag in real time without adding any bulk. Losing your wallet isn’t just inconvenient — it’s a full-day derailment. Cards to cancel, IDs to replace, and that nagging feeling you left it somewhere obvious. Most trackers help, but they’re bulky enough that you don’t always want them crammed into something slim like a wallet. The MagTag Ultra Slim Tracker Card connects to the Apple Find My app to make sure you never lose it again, and right now it’s down 60% from $59.99 to $23.99. It’s built to be practically invisible (about as thin as a credit card), so it slides into your wallet, passport holder, or bag without changing how you carry things. Once it’s in place, it taps into Apple’s Find My network for real-time tracking. If you leave something behind, you’ll get a heads-up, and if it’s nearby, you can trigger a sound to track it down quickly. Why the MagTag Ultra Slim Tracker Card stands out: Ultra-slim 1.5mm design that fits in wallets and tight spaces Works with Apple Find My for global tracking Left-behind alerts, which help you catch mistakes early Loud beeping that makes nearby items easy to locate Rechargeable battery that lasts up to 5 months with wireless charging Waterproof and dustproof for everyday use and travel It’s one of those small upgrades that quietly removes a recurring headache. If you’re tired of second-guessing where you left things, grabbing the MagTag Ultra Slim Tracker Card is an easy way to stay a step ahead — on sale for just $23.99 (MSRP $59.99). MagTag Ultra Slim Tracker Card – Works with Apple Find My AppSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

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iPhone 17 lineup is Apple’s biggest hit yet
The iPhone 17 lineup is now the most popular iPhone lineup in Apple’s history, with its strong demand helping the company report record revenues every quarter. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple stock sees slight bump following Q2 2026 earnings report
Following the release of Apple’s earnings report for the second fiscal quarter of 2026, shares rose slightly in after-hours trading as the market digested the results and outlook for Q3 2026. Here are the details. more…

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On the Future of Apple’s Vision Platform
It’s certainly possible that this Vision thing isn’t going to work out and Apple *will* throw in the towel on it. But that hasn’t happened, and if it does, it’s not going to come out of nowhere as a story on MacRumors for the people in VPG working on it.

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People snap up Macs faster than Apple can make them — here’s why
Happy customers snap up Macs so fast that even Apple's manufacturing expertise can't keep up. Here's what's behind Mac supply complaints. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Tim Cook’s advice to incoming Apple CEO John Ternus
Learn what Tim Cook advised John Ternus as he prepares to take over as Apple CEO this fall. It's all about following Apple's "North Star." (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Apple’s R&D spending hits new record as AI investment ramps up
Apple’s spending on research and development hit an all-time high in the company’s latest quarterly results, reflecting an industry-wide continued push into AI development. Here are the details. more…

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Apple to seek tariff refunds, plans to reinvest money in U.S. manufacturing
Apple CEO Tim Cook said today that the company is seeking refunds for duties it paid under tariffs Donald Trump announced last year, which the Supreme Court recently ruled unconstitutional. Here are the details. more…

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9to5Mac Daily: April 30, 2026 – OpenAI smartphone, more 
Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players. Sponsored by Bitwarden: Make your life easier with Bitwarden, featuring a secure, open source password manager with end-to-end encryption and seamless autofill across all your devices. more…

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Any tariff refund Apple gets will be reinvested into US manufacturing
Apple CEO Tim Cook made it clear, that the company will reinvest any tariff refund it gets into new U.S. manufacturing initiatives, further funding domestic production.Construction is ongoing - Image Credit: AppleIn almost an afterthought at the end of the earnings conference call, Cook made a big announcement. Beyond just going through the recently-announced motions and filing for that tariff refund, Apple has a plan.While there were no specifics, and nobody left to follow up the statement, Apple will invest what it gets back into US manufacturing. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Future Apple CEO John Ternus promises fiscal discipline, ‘incredible’ product pipeline
Incoming Apple CEO John Ternus promises he will be just as much of a profit-focused bean counter as his predecessor, current CEO Tim Cook. “As you know, one of the hallmarks of Tim’s tenure has been a deep thoughtfulness, deliberateness and discipline when it comes to the financial decision-making of the company,” Ternus said Thursday […] (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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